There will be a twinkle in the sky and magic in the air during St. Jacobs Sparkles! This  much-anticipated 4-day celebration ushers in the holiday shopping season in the village of St. Jacobs on November 15,16,17,18, 2018.
 

Shopkeepers have been busy as elves preparing festive samples, amazing promotions, in-store sales and contests just for you! They'll be rolling out the red carpet and keeping their doors open late so you can enjoy shopping amongst 1000s of twinkling lights in this pretty village, decked for the holidays. There will be free activities along the streets, including horse-drawn trolley rides, Victorian carolers, a visit from Santa, a weiner roast over the bonfire, a luxury limobus shuttle and more! Feeling hungry?  Reserve a seat in one of the village's restaurants or enjoy a treat from an outdoor food vendor.
 

Come join in the festivity with friends and neighbours, and find the joy in holiday shopping at St. Jacobs Sparkles! Schedule details below:

Event: St. Jacobs Sparkles

Thursday - Sunday, November 15 - 18, 2018
Location: Village of St. Jacobs

Shops open (extended hours):

Thursday and Friday 10 am - 9 pm
Saturday 10 am - 6 pm    Sunday 12 - 6 pm
 

FREE ACTIVITIES ~ Out & About St. Jacobs
 

NEW!  Winter Wonderland Photo Booth

FREE! Have your picture taken in a magical setting and share using #stjacobssparkles2018

Hosted by SJ BIA with greeters from Gemini Modelling Agency 

• Thursday & Friday 2 - 9 pm

• Saturday & Sunday 11 am - 6 pm

NEW! Free Draw!

While at the photo booth, enter for chance to WIN one of 3 amazing prize baskets

 from St. Jacobs merchants including tickets to a performance by Drayton Entertainment, Stone Crock dining voucher and much more!

(Ballots may be also entered at Eco Cafe Thursday - Sunday when photo booth is closed).
Contest details on site; no purchase necessary.

FREE ~ A Visit with Santa

Kids! Have a chat with Santa at his hut outside Toy Soup

• Saturday  1:30 - 4 pm  • Sunday  1:30 - 4 pm

Wandering Victorian Carolers
•   Thursday 5 - 8 pm  •   Friday  12:30 - 3: 30,   4 - 7 pm
•  Saturday 2 - 5 pm  •  Sunday 1:30 - 4:30

FREE Horse-drawn Trolley Rides

•   Thursday 4:30 - 8:30 pm  •   Friday 4:00 - 8:00 pm
•   Saturday 1 - 5 pm (the shuttle does not operate on Sunday)

Lighting of the Tree 

See the lighting of the Christmas tree; enjoy choral singing and welcome remarks
• Thursday 6:30 pm, St James Lutheran Church

Burn Barrel  & Weiner Roast
Enjoy hot sweet apple cider plus charity hotdog & marshmallow roast at the Mill,
while quantities last. Hosted by Volunteer Fire Dept, St. Jacobs division

•   Thursday 6 pm   •   Friday 6 pm

FREE Luxury LimoCoach Shuttle by Brentwood Livery

Park free at Calvary United Church, 48 Hawkesville Road,
then ride in style to and from the downtown at your leisure

•   Thursday 5 - 9 pm   •   Friday 5 - 9 pm

WHERE TO PARK (FREE)

 •  Municpal parking lot, 27 Albert Street, St. Jacobs

 • Thursday and Friday 5 - 9 p.m: Park at Calvary United Church and take the free
Luxury LimoCoach to downtown (approx. 1 km)

Outdoor Food & Drink

Stone Crock Outdoor Food Booth 

• Thursday 5 - 9 p.m.   • Friday 5 - 9 p.m. at Stone Crock porch

Beaver Tails Food Truck at Shadetree

• Thursday 4 - 9 p.m.   • Friday 4 - 9 p.m.

• Saturday 10 a.m. - 6  • Sunday 12 - 6 p.m.

IN-STORE SPECIALS AND PROMOTIONS

Check this page often as shopkeepers reveal their in-store promotions:

NEW! Carol Sing at Red Coral "Jingle on the Square"
Join in a carol sing, enjoy a hot chocolate bar and popcorn;
enter a draw for a decorative urn! Hosted by StuffIn Stockings,charity 

•  Thursday 7 - 9 pm   •  Friday 7 - 9 pm   •  Saturday 1 - 6 pm

The Farm Pantry
Samples by a visiting Canadian chocolatier, featuring chocolate that is dairy, nut, gluten, soy preservative and additive free. Healthy and delicious! 
• Thursday November 15, approx 2 - 5pm
 Also sampling of various local gourmet dips and condiments throughout the entire event.

Hybrid Hair & Detox Spa
 "Sparkle for your Soul"  • Thursday, November 15, 6 p.m. 
An evening of self care including Yoga, meditation, readings, Reiki and scalp massage,
wash & styles. Ticketed event; limited space.

Click here to request more details and reserve your ticket. 
 

A Gift To Remember

Lang & Pineridge Wall Calendars  $18.00

Blowout on Framed Pictures up to 60% Off the regular price.

Lots of sales throughout the store for 30 to 60% off the regular price.

FYi Doctors
Enter a draw for a chance to Win non RX sunglasses!
Plus, get 15% OFF any prescription eyeglasses purchased during Sparkles (Maui Jim's excluded)

St. Jacobs Post Office (Canada Post)
Visit the PO and drop your letter into Santa's "direct-to-the-North Pole" mailbox!
 • Friday only, until 9 pm 

Red Wind Studio

Stencil your own Christmas pillow! 
• Saturday 2 - 5 pm    or while supplies last
Plus! A pop-up shop in the studio featuring Paper & Sunshine, specializing in signs;
special pricing on many items including BOGO and "Save the Tax" deals throughout the event

 • Thursday - Sunday

Magnolia's
Save the HST! (some restrictions may apply)

Block Three Brewing Company

Enjoy free tastings of local craft beer. Also serving house-made Ginger Ale (non-alcoholic). 
Brewery and tasting room hours:
• Thursday - Saturday 11 am - 9 pm • Sunday 11 am - 6 pm

Live Music at Block Three Brewing Company
• Thursday 5:30 - 8:30 pm with Safe as Houses.  Food for purchase by Those Pizza Guys 
• Friday 5:30 - 8:30 pm  with Monday Morning Whiskey 
• Saturday 5:30 -8:30 pm with Max Gumption

Waterloo Central Railway
The Polar Express™ Train Rides • November 15, 16, 17

check www.waterloocentralrailway.com for details

Click here to see the event on the St. Jacobs Village Shops Facebook page, or follow and post your images using #stjacobssparkles2018 and tag a friend or two!

Note: This event sponsored by  St. Jacobs BIA, St. Jacobs Country, and participating merchants.  All scheduled activity times are approximate and may be subject to change in case of severe weather.

by Drayton Entertainment

Go “under the sea” this summer as the blockbuster musical Disney’s The Little Mermaid comes to St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from July 18 to August 4. This aquatic adventure is sure to entertain guppies of all ages with its splash-tacular cast of familiar characters like Princess Ariel, Price Eric, Sebastian the crab, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and more.
 

Colourful costumes, dazzling dancing and unforgettable songs including “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” and many more, means a stop at the theatre should be part of your St. Jacobs experience. 
 

Whether you’re planning a day trip or a weekend getaway, a visit to the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse is a must. Explore the famous St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market, do some shopping in the village, enjoy a delicious local meal and experience live, professional theatre all in the same charming area. With plush seats, beautiful acoustics, terrific sightlines and free parking, the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse offers top quality musicals and comedies all for one affordable price – only $46 plus tax per ticket. Plus, kids under 20 are only $27 plus tax, so the family can enjoy live entertainment together without breaking the bank.

Click here to take a virtual tour of the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse!

The 2018 Season at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse also includes: the romantic comedy The Rainmaker (June 20 – July 7), Disney's The Little Mermaid (July 18 – Aug 4), the British farce Out of Order (Aug 15 – Sept 1), the Canadian premiere of Ghost: The Musical (Oct 3 – Oct 21) and the holiday musical panto Jack and the Beanstalk (Nov 28 – Dec 30). For more information about Disney’s The Little Mermaid or the 2018 Season in general, click here. 

It was 1979 when Milo Shantz, the visionary behind the redevelopment of downtown St. Jacobs, approached Conestoga River Pottery’s Phil Yordy. Recognizing Phil as a talented potter, Milo offered him an opportunity to develop a pottery studio in St. Jacobs. Fortunately for the village, the rest is history and Conestoga River Pottery has been creating high-end, handmade pottery in the village for 38 years.


 
As one of the original artisans in the Village Silos, Phil continues to make over 100 unique functional pottery items ranging from tableware to teapots. Conestoga River Pottery offers a wide variety of work in style, shape, and colour, with many different glaze finishes. Phil’s pottery is sold in complementary sets and as individual pieces. 

With the kiln, potters wheel and bisque room all onsite, you can see new unique pottery items in production all year-round. We welcome you to visit Conestoga River Pottery located in the historic silos in downtown St. Jacobs.

 

Timberbarn, St. Jacobs

Trends are evolving quickly and nowadays we are all about pushing the limits and taking bigger risks in our kitchens. Not only do we live in our kitchen but we also invite guests into this space, giving us an opportunity reflect both our life and design style. Here's a look at what's trending in kitchens right now.

1. Tuxedo Kitchen Cabinets

Expect to see a rise in two-toned kitchens, or tuxedo kitchens, the combination of mixing dark and light cabinetry by engaging monochromatic colour-blocking. The timeless simplicity of this style appeals to a variation of designers with it’s high contrast fixture and accessory opportunities.

2. Hidden Appliances

You may have to look twice to find the dishwasher as appliances are now integrated into seamless cabinetry to maintain a consistent style and texture.

3. Cast Iron Apron-Front Sinks

Though commonly associated with farmhouse or vintage spaces, cast iron sinks with a front apron extension are finding themselves in a variety of interior styles offering their colour opportunities and shape variations. Cast Iron sinks are known for their appealing enamel coating with long lasting durability.

4. Consider Grey

Grey is creeping up on white to offer an alternative to the ever-popular white palette. It has become complimentary to a two-tone approach which can contrast richly stained wood and light cabinetry.

5. Technology Efficiency

Kitchens in the 21st century offer many different gadgets and integrations for maximum use and storage capacity. Opportunities range from hydraulic cabinets, double layered drawer storage, and appliances controlled with your smartphone. 

These five items are only the beginning. The Timber Barn in downtown St. Jacobs displays a high-profile kitchen showroom with professional designers onsite. Book an appointment today to meet with a designer and see for yourself how timber tells a story.

Timber Barn serves the Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and greater Toronto area. Its showroom is open daily in St.Jacobs.  Enter from either King Street across from the Stone Crock Bakery or from Spring Street. 

Guest Blogger Tina Schank, Vivah Jewellery, St. Jacobs Outlets

When asked to define “fashion”, the mind goes in many directions.  Images of what you feel are “fashionable” and even “unfashionable” may start popping into your head. Perhaps you will reminisce on your most fashionable moments, those times when your outfit and jewellery came together so well that you truly “rocked” the day, event, or meeting!!

Webster’s dictionary defines fashion as “a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a particular group of people….” well I call that balony. Fashion is expression.

In today’s world, fashion cannot be defined by what’s “popular”, or what is “in” right now, or even by a group of people.  It is only defined by you, the wearer! Your choices, not only in clothes but also your accessories, jewellery and presence in time, make up YOUR FASHION. This is still just the tip of the iceberg, as fashion cannot even be limited to one great outfit or theme. Fashion is within you, and as you grow, so does it.  Fashion is an individual expression of growth, where you’ve been and who you are today. It is in the blink of a moment that your “fashion” is captured by another and in that moment in time. With time, moments change and so does perception. Your fashion encompasses your energy, whether positive or negative. Exterior fashion always complements with your interior. The perfect dress and sparking jewellery are best perceived in a positive light, when the wearer is smiling from ear to ear.

Therefore, fashion is created and grows through your exterior and interior evolution and expression.  It will change often and cannot be defined by a lifetime. It is yours… NOT the world's.

Looking back, you will remember fashion expressions from when you were a young teenager, as you were starting to find your individuality.  Your friends fashion or expressions were hints for your expression, but they were never all encompassing.  You always managed to put some personal flare into YOUR fashion.  As you matured and your knowledge and expression continued to grow, so did your sense of fashion. Which brings us to today.   Think about your fashion as a whole, now can you define it?  I bet your answer is “NO”.

From day to day, our fashion evolves, some days we even have a secret theme to our outfits, such as the “rocker” on a Friday night out where we are meeting up with the girls, or business professional – with our pencil skirt and work heels (the ones we can walk in for 8 hours). Other days our expression is to simply be comfy and casual, with our yoga pants and Tee.

Fashion is no longer the industry telling us what to wear, but you and I telling the industry what we want.  What do we want?  We want, no, we demand choices, we demand options, we demand that the industry work for us and not the other way around.  Trends last weeks, and what we’re wearing this week does not influence what we will be wearing next week. Even a repeat outfit has a new element of expression, as we change up our jewellery, shoes or other accessories.

Fashion is our outlet to expression, choices, position in time, diversity, and ones love for self and choices. It cannot be grouped, categorized or bought in any “fashion marketing”.  So when it comes to clothing, accessories and jewellery, we ask for choice, change and evolution.

We change, we evolve, we express, not as a group but as individuals and our fashion is our reflection in time and place.

Tina Schank is Director of Sales and Operations at Vivah Jewellery. Vivah Jewellery at St. Jacobs Outlets is open every day. www.stjacobsoutlets.com 

ECO CAFE     submitted by Edward Denyer

Down in the heart of St Jacobs, EcoCafe Village Roasters is providing visitors with a unique coffee experience. We source a wide variety of coffee origins and custom roast them to coax out the very best they have to offer. Whether you like subtle and fruity, deep and chocolate or dark and bold flavours, we have the ability to create that perfect mix to suit your palate.

Our coffee offering is ample and covers many if not most of the coffee producing countries. We specialize in certified coffees, whether Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance, as well as a variety of Direct Trade options. Each one of these options provides choices to our consumer which satisfy their social and ethical beliefs.

Every coffee we purchase is sample roasted in multiple roast profiles and then cupped in order to determine which of these profiles brings out the most taste and enhances ‎it's natural characteristics. For each profile we use computer automation in order to have a catalog of how the roast was created, as well as to be able to replicate the result using any of our current roasters, thus recreating that perfect result on any given day  and for any volume requested. We then take these samples and run them through their paces using a standard scoring methodology, we grade them on their chatacteristics and contents, such as aroma, fragrance, acidity, body, balance and cup quality. The resulting score then is catalogued and stored so we can use the information to compare to others, to create our cupping notes and to determine which coffee we can use to complement one another in our blends.

‎We have many varieties of coffee, from standard conventional types which provide a backbone for our unique blends, to unique specialty grade cultivars which are limited in quantity and difficult to procure due to the small quantities produced. One such cultivar we recently sourced is from a small estate in Costa Rica by the ‎name of La Candelilla. They are what is considered a micromill and they cultivate and mill all of their coffee on the estate, thus guaranteeing the excellence of their product. This variety is called SL28, and although it's not the sexiest of names, the coffee is in an atmosphere of its own. It acquired it's name from the entity which created it, Scott Labs in Kenya. In the 1930s they crossbred the traditional Bourbon coffee with a Tanganyika strain from Ethiopia, looking to produce a more resistance plant which would give higher yields, and although neither of those goals were achieved, they did unexpectedly create a plant with the highest of quality instead.

In the early 2000, looking for ways to differentiate themselves, La Candelilla procured some seeds and started growing the SL28 ‎cultivar in Central America. And although they have small holdings and their yields are limited, they have achieved a unique and exquisite bean which is only available through auctions and in small quantity. It is due to these circumstances that this coffee is priced considerably higher that others we carry. Having said that, if you are a true connoisseur of fine items, this is a unique opportunity to try something most will rarely  encounter.

Come see us and have a look into our window and experience the world of specialty coffee